Semiconductor device providing diode functions

Claim 1

IN A MONOLITHIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE: A FIRST PORTION PROVIDING THE ELECTRONIC FUNCTION OF A DIODE, COMPRISING FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD SEMICONDUCTIVE REGIONS OF ALTERNATE SEMICONDUCTIVITY TYPE WITH A FIRST P-N JUNCTION BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND REGIONS AND A SECOND P-N JUNCTION BETWEEN SAID SECOND AND THIRD REGIONS, CONDUCTIVE MEANS TO SHORT OUT SAID SECOND P-N JUNCTION; AND A SECOND PORTION PROVIDING THE ELECTRONIC FUNCTION OF A TRANSISTOR COMPRISING FOURTH, FIFTH AND SIXTH SEMICONDUCTIVE REGIONS OF ALTERNATE SEMICONDUCTIVITY TYPE WITH A THIRD P-N JUNCTION BETWEEN SAID FOURTH AND FIFTH REGIONS AND A FOURTH P-N JUNCTION BETWEEN SAID FIFTH AND SIXTH REGIONS; SAID THIRD REGION AND SAID SIXTH REGION BEING PARTS OF A SINGLE CONTINUOUS LAYER OF MATERIAL WHICH PHYSICALLY UNITES SAID FIRST AND SECOND PORTIONS BUT WHICH IS OF SUFFICIENTLY HIGH RESISTIVITY TO MINIMIZE ELECTRICAL INTERACTION THERETHROUGH; SAID SECOND AND FIFTH REGIONS BEING DISPOSED WITHIN A PLANAR SURFACE OF SAID SINGLE CONTINUOUS LAYER OF MATERIAL WITH SAID SECOND AND FOURTH P-N JUNCTIONS TERMINATING AT SAID PLANAR SURFACE; SAID FIRST AND FOURTH REGIONS BEING DISPOSED RESPECTIVELY WITHIN SAID SECOND AND FIFTH REGIONS WITH AND FIRST AND THIRD P-N JUNCTIONS TERMINATING AT SAID PLANAR SURFACE; SAID SECOND AND FIFTH REGIONS HAVING THE SAME DOPING CONCENTRATION AND SAID FIRST AND FOURTH REGIONS HAVING THE SAME DOPING CONCENTRTION TO PERMIT SIMULTANEOUS FABRICATION OF THE REGIONS OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND PORTIONS OF THE MONOLITHIC DEVICE.